2 ¶ aNow° when bJohn°, Iwhile° imprisoned°, heard° of the works° of Christ°, he sent° [word] by his disciples°3 and said° to Him, “Are You athe IExpected° One, or° shall we look° for someone° else°?”
4 Jesus° answered° and said° to them, “Go° and report° to John° what° you hear° and see°:5a[the] BLIND°RECEIVE°SIGHT° and [the] lame° walk°, [the] lepers° are cleansed° and [the] deaf° hear°, [the] dead° are raised° up, and [the] bPOOR°HAVE THEIGOSPEL°PREACHED°TO THEM.6And blessed° is he Iwho°adoes not IItake° offense° at Me.”

Jesus’ Tribute to John

7 ¶ As these° men were going° [away], Jesus° began° to speak° to the crowds° about° John°, “What° did you go° out into athe wilderness° to see°? A reed° shaken° by the wind°?8IBut what° did you go° out to see°? A man° dressed° in soft° [clothing]? Those° who wear° soft° [clothing] are in kings’°IIpalaces°!9IBut what° did you go° out to see°? aA prophet°? Yes°, I tell° you, and one who is more° than a prophet°.10This° is the one about° whom° it Iis written°,‘aBEHOLD°, I SEND° MY MESSENGER°IIAHEAD OF YOU,WHO°WILL PREPARE° YOUR WAY°BEFORE° YOU.’11Truly° I say° to you, among° those born° of women° there has not arisen° [anyone] greater° than John° the Baptist°! Yet° the one° who is Ileast° in the kingdom° of heaven° is greater° than he.12aFrom the days° of John° the Baptist° until° now° the kingdom° of heaven°Isuffers° violence°, and violent° men°IItake° it by force°.13For all° the prophets° and the Law° prophesied° until° John°.14And if° you are willing° to accept° [it], John himself° is aElijah° who Iwas to come°.15aHe who has° ears° to hear°, Ilet him hear°.

16 ¶ “But to what° shall I compare° this° generation°? It is like° children° sitting° in the market° places°, who° call° out to the other° [children],17and say°, ‘We played° the flute° for you, and you did not dance°; we sang° a dirge°, and you did not Imourn°.’18For John° came° neither°aeating° nor°bdrinking°, and they say°, ‘cHe has° a demon°!’19The Son° of Man° came° eating° and drinking°, and they say°, ‘Behold°, a gluttonous° man° and a Idrunkard°, aa friend° of tax° collectors° and IIsinners°!’ Yet° wisdom° is vindicated° by her deeds°.”

The Unrepenting Cities

20 ¶ Then° He began° to denounce° the cities° in which° most° of His Iamiracles° were done°, because° they did not repent°.
21“aWoe° to you, Chorazin°! Woe° to you, bBethsaida°! For if° the Imiracles° had occurred° in cTyre° and cSidon° which occurred° in you, they would have repented° long° ago° in IIdsackcloth° and ashes°.22Nevertheless° I say° to you, ait will be more° tolerable° for Tyre° and Sidon° in b[the] day° of judgment° than° for you.23And you, aCapernaum°, will not be exalted° to heaven°, will you? You will bdescend° to cHades°; for if° the Imiracles° had occurred° in dSodom° which occurred° in you, it would have remained° to this° day°.24Nevertheless° I say° to you that ait will be more° tolerable° for the land° of bSodom° in [the] day° of judgment°, than° for you.”

Come to Me

25 ¶ aAt that Itime° Jesus° said°, “I praise° You, bFather°, Lord° of heaven° and earth°, that cYou have hidden° these° things° from [the] wise° and intelligent° and have revealed° them to infants°.26Yes°, aFather°, for this° way° was well-pleasing° in Your sight°.27aAll° things° have been handed° over° to Me by My Father°; and no° one° knows° the Son° except° the Father°; nor° does anyone° know° the Father°bexcept° the Son°, and anyone to whom° the Son° wills° to reveal° [Him].

28 ¶ “aCome° to Me, all°Iwho are weary° and heavy-laden°, and I will give° you rest°.29Take° My yoke° upon you and alearn° from Me, for I am° gentle° and humble° in heart°, and bYOU WILL FIND°REST°FOR YOUR SOULS°.30For aMy yoke° is Ieasy° and My burden° is light°.”